Anders Arborelius, the Carmelite bishop who believes in young people

First cardinal of the five Nordic Churches, united by secularization and with a strong presence of immigrants, he is witness in Sweden of ecumenical dialogue and integration possibilities

Anders Arborelius Bishop of Stockholm

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Pubblicato il
29/05/2017

Ultima modifica il 29/05/2017 alle ore 18:49

MARIA TERESA PONTARA PEDERIVA

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He was born 67 years ago in Sorengo, a small municipality in the Canton of Ticino in Switzerland, but his family was from Sweden where he grew up, namely in Lund. Anders Arborelius, who will be elected cardinal at next June consistory, is the first bishop of Stockholm with Swedish origins since the Reformation. A nomination that in Stockholm comes as a real “surprise” according to a statements made by Kristina Keller, responsible for the communication of the Catholic diocese, who adds “an incredibly flattering fact that honors us,” echoed by Douglas Brommesson, a politologist at the “ Lund University: “A completely unexpected news.”

The same bishop seems to have been caught off guard: on the site of the diocese, Arborelius confesses in fact that he was “somewhat shocked” by the Pontiff’s announcement at the end of Regina Coeli on Sunday. He then declared to the local press, “It certainly represents a great joy for this part of the world; we are to the attention of the Pope, I won’t hide feeling some trepidation! We must also be happy that Sweden and all Scandinavia can be said to have entered the map of world Catholicism, as the gates of the Catholic Church open more to our land. After the 500 years of the Reformation and the visit of Pope Francis last autumn, we are pleased that the Pontiff recognizes our efforts and our work for the unity of Christians.”

In Sweden, Bergoglio’s visit to Lund in October is seen as triggering to the later nomination, almost an acknowledgment of the many efforts made by the bishop on the ecumenical side. However, those who know him, talk about how his figure really embodies the Argentine pontiff the ideal figure of shepherd.

Starting with the personal history of Christian and religious (yet another religious familiar with community life). Born in a Lutheran family, in 1969 he converted to Catholicism when he was 20 and two years later, he entered the Order of the Barmen Carmelite Fathers at the convent of Norraby in southern Sweden. Sent to Belgium to continue his theological studies, he then took his perpetual vows in Bruges where he also obtained a degree in philosophy. After his doctorate at the Teresianum in Rome, he was ordained priest in Malmö on September 8, 1979.

In December 1998 at 49, he was consecrated bishop at St. Catharine’s Catholic Cathedral in Stockholm by his predecessor, Mgr. Hubertus Brandenburg, Sweden’s first Catholic prelate with Swedish origins since the time of Reformation. On solemn occasions, rather than the clerical clothing he always preferred the Carmelite dress: a significant gesture, (in a country where royal family members meet on public transport), much appreciated by the curia offices at no. 68 of Götgatan as well as by the whole city.

It is with this simple robe that he appears in a group photo taken on April 12, at the Nordic Bishops’ Conference (which includes the five churches of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden in Europe), gathered under the presidency of Bishop Czesław Kozon, bishop of Copenhagen, to reflect on the pastoral implications of apostolic exhortation “Glädjen atta älska”, or “Amoris Laetitia”. The theme of the family, has always been very dear to him, as a religious and bishop, from 2002 to 2009 he was a member of the presidential staff of the then Pontifical Council for the Family and since 2014 has been appointed consultant to the Pontifical Council for the Laity.

It is a ministry based on proximity and minority that of the elected cardinal. Head of the bishops’ conference from 2005 to 2015 – in a country where secularization became pioneer in Europe but where, since the entry into force in 2000 of a law that removed Lutheranism as a state religion from the Constitution, opening de facto to any confession and faith (yet the king must remain a member of the Lutheran Church responsible for all the cemeteries). Although some prejudices are still well-rooted - such as the commingling between the Church of Rome and all forms of power - Catholics are constantly growing in Sweden, as the influence of Catholicism is also increasing in the social fabric following the conversion in recent years of a number of well-known intellectuals and artists.

What makes the number of Catholics rise every year are the immigrants coming from all over Europe (many from the Eastern Countries) and from the Middle East. It is exactly on the issue of welcoming immigrants, opposed by a number of xenophobic groups, that Arborelius has focused his attention this past year, “We must be united among us in the local Church of Sweden to witness the world that we can live together in faith, hope and charity” is his recurring expression that shows awareness of the responsibility of the ecclesial Catholic community to build a Multiethnic and pluralist society.

“The mission of the Church and of every Christian’s life is based on four inseparable dimensions: koinonìa, martyria, leitourghìa and diakonia”, the diocesan website states. “Not the laws and documents, but the living presence of Christ in one’s life and one’s belonging to a community that breaks the Bread and loves the neighbor may be the true foundation.”

“Oriental Catholics are a great asset to our country,” the Archbishop said in 2011 to a newspaper where, jokingly, he added: “I would say that in our diocese we do not have many problems between progressives and traditionalists, we do have however, some space issues: Our Churches are becoming too small to hold celebrations with so many faithful...”

On another occasion, he did not hide his satisfaction when he saw not only young immigrants from the Middle East but also girls obtain their Ph.D. in Karoliska (a historical research institute in the capital): “It is not rare that girls, if in equal conditions, are better.” He focuses greatly on young people and their ability to integrate: “Through them, our communities must become” integration laboratories”

In years of local clergy scarcity, great help was provided by the Jesuits of the parish of Sant’Eugenia, Stockholm’s oldest church founded in 1783 (undeniable reference for Pope Francis on today’s Swedish affairs): a true forge of activities ranging from refugee services to university pastoral care.

Member of two Bishops’ Synods on the family, Archbishop Arborelius gladly recounts a positive experience as regards to the method of work and content of the discussions. With an exception: “When one day, Pope Francis could not be present I felt a little like a child without the guidance of a father ...”